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Dark Souls - Internal Rendering Resolution Fix v2.0.1 (DSfix)

Date

26/12/2012

Filename

DSfix201.zip

Size

382.77 KB

Website

Last Access

37 hours ago

Downloads

10240

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Description

DSfix 2.0.1
Posted on 2012-12-21

With 2.0 yesterday I introduced an issue with the HUD modifications. I fixed it now. That's all that has changed.

People are also reporting some stability problems and physics issues since the patch, but I'm not sure those are related to DSfix. On the bright side, it seems like in addition to fixing the stereo downmix, the patch also somewhat reduced the CPU load of the game.

DSfix FAQ v2
Posted on 2012-09-09

Do I need the previous versions?
No, every release is self-contained, you just need the most recent version.

The game crashes, help!
Make sure that you are not running any other applications that interact with Direct3D, such as various overlays. Copy everything from the .zip to the game folder, and keep the "dsfix" directory intact.
If you use a resolution lower than the original (for performance reasons) move or rename the "movWW" directory.

The game only shows up in a small part in the upper left corner!
Turn off the in-game AA option. And read the readme.

Can you improve the performance of the game?
Beyond reducing the main/dof resolution (which likely isn't the issue on most low-end systems anyway) there is not much I can do, sorry.

Will you release the source code?
Yes, as soon as it is at least remotely presentable and I no longer make large changes daily. I hope it will help people attempt similar things for other games and/or implement the 100s of features people are asking for in Dark Souls that I will never get to. I guess it should be ready some time next weekend.

Feature x doesn't work on my pirated version of the game!
I don't support pirated versions. Buy the game.

SSAO causes some problems with water / distant silhouettes / flickering!
I'm still working on this. You can also try tweaking the shader on your own.

SMAA and SSAO are not working for me!
You are one of the rare cases where the mod doesn't identify the correct place in the rendering pipeline to inject the modifications. I currently don't know why this happens and can't reproduce it.

Why don't the toggle keys work anymore? How can I change the keybindings?
Look at DSfixKeys.ini. Note that lines starting with "#" are ignored.

Why does the DoF blur blur my menus?
Don't set your DoF resolution to the same as your internal rendering resolution. Set it lower than that.

Old Developer Notes:

Please read this whole post before downloading anything!

As most of you may know, the Dark Souls port for PC has a fixed rendering resolution of 1024x720. I couldn't believe this when it was first rumoured, and when it turned out true I vowed to do my best to fix it.

What is it?
It's an interception d3d9.dll that you place in the same folder as the game executable. It intercepts the game's calls to the DirectX 9 API and changes them as necessary to enable a higher internal rendering resolution.

How do I use it?
Place d3d9.dll and DSfix.ini into the game's binary directory. (The place where DARKSOULS.exe is)
You can open DSfix.ini with a text editor to adjust the desired internal resolution.

Will it work?
So far, this has only been tested on my computer, on the first half hour or so of the game. I can not and will not guarantee that it will work for anyone else, or not have any adverse effect on your game/computer. Use at your own risk! If you encounter any issues that seem like they could be caused by DSfix, let me know.

Why is it still blurry?
I don't know at this point in time. It's already clear that there is a lot more detail and less aliasing using an increased framebuffer resolution -- as you would expect! -- but there is some residual blur. I'm trying to work out if this is due to my method or something inherent in the game. I will certainly continue working on this.

Will it cause performance problems?
That depends on your system configuration. Usually, performance scales rather linearly with framebuffer size, and so far this game does not seem different. My 660 maintained a locked 30 FPS throughout ~ 1/2 hour of testing in the starting area of the game at 2560x1440.

Can I donate?
If you really want to donate I won't say no, I'm not particularly rich :P.
Go to my blog post about the fix here.

Some other points

I did not do the entire work for this in 23 minutes. I developed an interception dll framework during this week to prepare for the job. I did the actual work to make the game render at higher res in that amount of time though -- based on the framework -- and spent a few more hours testing and adding the config file.
Please refrain from disrespectful remarks like "lol Japanese development". There are plenty of Japanese developers that deliver technically excellent PC games
Buy Dark Souls if you like hardcore action RPGs.

A spiritual successor to Demons Souls, the action RPG Dark Souls is set in a rich, dark fantasy universe. Intense action within the dungeons, encounters with terrifying enemies and innovative online features combine for a unique gaming experience. Dark Souls' world breaks down barriers with a fluid design encourages exploration and promotes an adaptation experience. At a time when the players come face to face with terrifying enemies and find new areas, the infallible system and reward challenge takes possession of everything to offer a sense of achievement without equal.

Enhanced with additional content for its PC debut, the Prepare to Die Edition of Dark Souls includes an enhanced PVP mode allowing players to more closely assemble battles against one another online in an all-out fight to the death that fans have demanded! In addition, the development team at FromSoftware has revealed an untold chapter in the world of Lordran created specifically to help further expand upon the lore of the game. 'Artorias of the Abyss' will include all-new areas to explore, enemies to encounter, and bosses to take down one by one as players are treated to an unseen side of Lordan where players must stop the spread of darkness at all costs by facing and defeating the Dark Knight Artorias.